


(Just Give Me) One More Night

by Canuck_Lex



Series: Lola Initative Challenge 2017 [1]
Category: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV)
Genre: Date Night, F/M, Lola Initiative
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-09
Updated: 2017-08-09
Packaged: 2018-12-12 06:55:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,547
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11731860
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Canuck_Lex/pseuds/Canuck_Lex
Summary: For the #LolaInitiative fan fiction challenge on Twitter, prompt fill: "Date Night"





	(Just Give Me) One More Night

Director Phil Coulson came down from his office overlooking the Playground. His steps slowed as he looked at the assorted Agents oh-so-casually positioned around the common space.

He rolled his eyes. He hadn't had a send off like this for a date since his high school Prom.

"Don't you lot have something better to do?"

Agent Sk...Daisy...Johnson grinned at him. "Looking good, DC! That blue really brings out your eyes. Much better than your usual accountant style."

"It's grape, not blue." muttered Agent Leo Fitz behind her.

"I'm not always on the clock, guys..."

Agent Alphonso Mackenzie simply snorted. Given his penchant for asking personal questions (which were none of his damned business), Coulson figured that that was more than enough.

"All right, people. Agent May is next in COC, you got any problems until I get back, from paper cuts to world ending plots, go see her."

"And when will that be, Director?" smirked Agent Lance Hunter.

Coulson gave him the  _look._

"Whenever I get back, Agent Hunter."

Agent Bobbi Morse smacked her partner across the head. Coulson made a mental note to raise her pay. On the QT, of course.

"Sir, I believe these are for you?" Agent Jemma Simmons handed over a bouquet of light pink roses.

"Ah, flowers. Just the thing to give the lady you threatened to throw in a padded cell for life..." Hunter was immediately hit with a number of small objects thrown by his teammates.

He decided he was giving them all raises. Soon as he could. Except Hunter.

"Have a good night, everyone."

Coulson left, stopping just out of sight to hear Hunter muse, "The man is finally getting laid. Thank God...."

" **HUNTER!"** The base shook a little as Daisy took matters into her own hands.

He grinned as he left them to it.

* * *

Agent Melinda May was waiting for him at the back entrance to the base. She lifted her eyebrow at the flowers.

"How romantic..."

"Yeah, well, considering the last 48 hours, I'm lucky she's agreed to this."

"Everything pointed to Price as Hydra. None of us could've known Malick was playing her for a fool."

"Happens to the best of us. Hey, before I go, you got everything under control?"

May glared at him.

"Right, stupid question. That op tonight..."

"Is minor, Director. No chance it goes south. It'll be over by the time you get back."

May's gaze softened, turned almost wistful.

"Go. Have fun. Be Phil for once, rather than Director Coulson. SHIELD will still be here in the morning."

Then she sharpened, the Agent returning. "Your tracker?"

"In the phone and the one Fitz put in my latest hand." 

"Good. I wish you'd take one of us as backup."

"May...there are some missions I think I can do on my own. Besides, I think Roz would throw me out of her car if you tagged along."

They shared a quick laugh.

"I'll see you later."

"'Night, Phil."

"And smack Hunter for me?"

"Got it."

The door slid closed.

* * *

Rosalind Price was waiting by her car in the pub's parking lot. She looked perfect in a casual black and white printed suit. 

"You have a thing for greasy diners, Phil?"

"The outside might not look like much, but it's what's inside that counts." Phil hesitated. "You look very nice, Roz." 

"Not so bad yourself. I like you without the tie."

"I'm getting used to it. These are for you."

Phil handed her the flowers. Her eyebrows rose and she looked at him.

"Thatcher Roses?"

"They reminded me of you for some reason." Phil grinned back. "Shall we?"

He moved to the passenger door. 

Rosalind unlocked the car and they got in. She pulled into traffic.

"I knew there was a reason I liked you. Last guy I dated tried to drive him right off the bat."

Phil winced.

"Did you stop to let him out?"

"Never let him in. It was a near miss, however, in the parking lot."

He chuckled. "So...tonight's plans?"

"Well, my intel tells me that the late Phillip Coulson would have appreciated the exhibit at the University."

She handed over the flyer. _"Captain America in the Trenches: Propaganda Art in WWII"_

He smiled. "I'm following your lead tonight."

She smirked back. "I'm going to remind you later you said that.."

* * *

_The specialist arrived at his scoped out location early. His team's surveillance put his targets still hours away, but he didn't mind waiting. This op had been a long time coming, and he wanted to leave nothing to chance._

_He set up the rifle and checked the sight lines. It was tricky, but he had made harder kills before at SHIELD._

_He grabbed a power bar and some water and settled in._

* * *

The exhibit had been...acceptable to general civilian standards. Given that Phil had gained access to all the classified reports on Steve Rogers the day after he hit Level Six, he was able to share the true stories behind most of them with Roz. 

Dear Lord, she had a quick mind. She was catching most of the exaggerations, gloss overs and cover-ups, sometimes even before he pointed them out. They stayed longer than he thought they would. Even May got tired of his Cap stories and nit-picking after an hour at most, and she put up with it the longest. 

He said as much as they got back into the car, and she shrugged.

"I figured I owed you one after what had happened with Malick. Besides, you're kinda cute when you get all passionate about stuff like that."

He laughed.

"Cute...that's not something I've been called lately."

"Handsome? Suave? Sexy?"

Damn, this felt good. Phil felt more relaxed than he had for quite some time.

"Usually just 'Director' these days."

"I get that too. We really do have a lot in common."

"I agree. I think you're sexy too."

Rosalind flashed him a smile. He hoped they weren't waiting up for him back at the base.

* * *

_The specialist frowned. Intel said targets were heading towards home. Given past history, they'd stop for dinner before coming back. His ground teams, however, were not in place._

_"I don't care who you have to pull, or what you need to do..." he hissed."You lot had better be in place at the right time, which is in exactly 15 minutes, or you will be answering directly to me. We have one shot at this target, and if you fuck this up, so help me, I will make you regret your next breath and make you beg for your last one."_

_He stabbed at the End button and went back to waiting._

* * *

Rosalind parked down the street from the Italian place. Sure, Phil liked Italian (who didn't?) but across the street was his favorite burger place. The smell of charbroiled beef filled the air. 

He looked pleadingly over at Rosalind. She laughed at him.

"So, can I be honest?"

"Honesty's refreshing."

"We could go to Luigi's, I do have the reservation there. Or, if you'd _rather_ , I have a nice red back home, and we could actually eat the All Americans this time, rather than just throw them away."

"Those were a waste of good burgers." Phil agreed.

"Look...about the other night. I was...maybe...playing you a little. Get under your skin, get you to trust me. And then get you to Malick - he seemed to think it was important. I know why now. But..."

"I was playing you a bit too. Find out about the ATCU, what you were up to with the Inhumans. Now, though..."

"I'd like to see if this is something more..."

"Yeah."

Leaning over, Phil cupped her face with his good hand, and kissed her. The kiss quickly deepened, as he clutched at this moment. She was warm...alive... _real._

They parted, and Rosalind let out a shaky breath.

"So, burgers, then?"

"I told you already, I'm following your lead."

* * *

_The specialist took his position. Targets had just entered the house, readying dinner. Looked like take-out tonight...not that they'd enjoy it._

_He checked his phone. Ground ops confirmed they were in position. He didn't really think they'd be effective, but they'd give him time to get clear, get back to base. Maybe he'd get lucky, and they'd take down the other one. He put them on standby._

_He rolled his shoulders, went into his sniper focus. Gazing through the sight, he watched them light the candles, open the wine, sit down to dinner._

_How romantic._

_The first came into his sights._

_It had been a while since he had a target this personal. _ _God, he was going to enjoy every moment of it._

_A heartbeat_ _more...he took the shot._

_He watched as the bullet cracked the glass plane, as it struck her neck, as she crumpled to the floor in his arms._

_He gave it a few moments before he picked up the phone and made the call._

* * *

_"Now you know how it feels, Coulson, to watch someone you care for bleed out right in front of you."_

"Ward?"

_"Got to admit, it still sounds funny when you don't say Agent first."_

"What did you do?"

_"It seems I just eliminated a leak at the ATCU."_

**Author's Note:**

> That last section is taken from Agents of SHIELD Season 3's episode "Closure." All credit to the writers, cast & crew concerned.
> 
> The roses Phil gets Rosalind are Margaret Thatcher roses. Phil must have remembered the contents of Roz's bookshelf.
> 
> Sorry for the angst, not my usual style. Maybe the next prompt can be something a little more cheerful... ;)


End file.
